Landscaping Rules in El Cajon, CA (2026)

El Cajon, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 9.56.100 (Prohibiting Maintenance of Hazardous Trees, Shrubs or Obstacles)

Not withstanding Section 9.56.020, no owner of any lot, place, premises or area within the city, or any agent of such owner, shall install, permit or maintain any tree, shrub, landscaping or hazardous obstacle as follows: A. In the corner setback area subject to yard requirements as described in this code, any tree, shrub, or other obstruction exceeding forty-two inches above the curb grade; B....

El Cajon Municipal Code §§ 9.56.060, 9.56.070

No person shall cut or otherwise injure trees, shrubs or landscaping in any public area within the city without the express written consent of the city manager or designee. ... The city manager or designee may issue a permit only if the following conditions are met: 1. The applicant has demonstrated that the proposed alteration or removal is justified to the satisfaction of the city manager or ...

Cal. Food & Agric. Code Sec. 5004 (Noxious Weeds — Definition and Designation)

5004. “Noxious weed” means any species of plant that is, or is liable to be, troublesome, aggressive, intrusive, detrimental, or destructive to agriculture, silviculture, or important native species, and difficult to control or eradicate, which the director, by regulation, designates to be a noxious weed. In determining whether or not a species shall be designated a noxious weed for the purpose...

El Cajon Municipal Code § 17.195.200(A)

Property owners shall prevent water waste resulting from inefficient or improperly maintained landscape irrigation on their property. In order to ensure that water is not wasted, the director may require water audits and may penalize property owners for water waste such as runoff leaving the target landscape due to low head drainage, overspray, or other similar conditions where water flows onto...

CA Water Code Part 2.4 (Rainwater Capture Act of 2012) §§10570-10574

PART 2.4. Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 10570. This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012. 10571. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) As California has grown and developed, the amount of stormwater flowing off buildings, parking lots, roads, and other impervious surfaces into surface water streams, flood channels, and storm sewers h...

CA Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) — CCR Title 23 §§490-495

Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance About 40% of the water Californians use at home is used outdoors. Large water savings can be gained by efficient landscape design, installation, management, and maintenance. This is accomplished by choosing climate adapted plants, improving soil conditions, using, and maintaining high efficiency irrigation equipment and managing the irrigation schedule ...

Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 4735 (Drought-Tolerant Landscaping; Artificial Turf in CIDs)

4735. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a provision of the governing documents or architectural or landscaping guidelines or policies shall be void and unenforceable if it does any of the following: (1) Prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of low water-using plants as a group or as a replacement of existing turf. (2) Prohibits, or includes conditions t...

CA SB 1383 — Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy

California's Organic Waste Reduction SB 1383 Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy Landfilled food and other organic waste rotting in landfills emits methane climate pollution contributing to California's hotter summers, more frequent droughts, and more wildfires. Feed People and Fight Climate Change Fight Climate Change by Recycling Organic Waste To reduce methane pollution and othe...